Orchestra score which was going to be thrown away to be given public performance

Henry James

A COMPLETE orchestral score which was in danger of being thrown away will be given a public performance on Saturday, September 22 thanks to a sharp-eyed musician from Maghull Wind Orchestra.

Liz McBride, who plays bass clarinet in the orchestra, spotted the sheet music in the bargain section of a music shop in York, at a giveaway price of £2.99 for the score which included the music for all the different sections of a wind orchestra – trumpets, trombones, clarinets, flutes, saxophones and many more, and also the sub-sections of the orchestra such as first alto saxophones, second alto saxophones, and so on.

An orchestra would normally expect to pay up to £70 for such a detailed score.

She said: “I just spotted this music in the shop. I had no idea if it would be any good, but I thought somebody should be able to use it, even if it was only as an exercise in sight reading. I was delighted when our musical director, Phil Shotton, decided to include it in out setlist for concerts. It’s a nice piece and there’s enough in it for everyone to enjoy it, which is good.”

The composition is Seven Hills Overture by John Fannin, an American composer and music teacher, based in Kentucky. It is a lively, rousing piece which has been chosen by Phil Shotton to open MWO’s upcoming concert at Edge Hill University’s Rose Theatre, Ormskirk, on Saturday, September 22 at 7.30pm.

Phil said: “It opens with a big fanfare and keeps the interest with a dance-like melody, then a slower section before the fanfare returns at the end. It’s great fun to listen to.

“This will be an exciting concert. We’re playing some new works for wind band alongside some more established works. We’ve got works from local composers Adam Dutch and Adam Roberts, who will both be playing with the band on the evening, plus Philip Sparke who is another English composer, alongside some highly respected American composers”.

The concert is supported by the British Association of Symphonic Bands and Wind Ensembles (BASBWE) which last year appointed MWO as an official ambassador band.